2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic (also billed as Las Vegas Desert Classic VI) was the sixth time that the Professional Darts Corporation
stage the prestigious darts tournament. The tournament was held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
for the second successive year and was staged between July 2 and July 8, televised on Sky Sports from July 4 - there was no title sponsor for the event after PartyPoker.net's sponsorship lasted for just one year.
The opening day of the tournament saw a few surprise results - none more so than when Mark Dudbridge
stunned three-time Desert Classic champion Phil Taylor 6-5.
Raymond van Barneveld
secured his third major PDC title of the year adding to his World Championship
and UK Open
successes by beating Terry Jenkins
in the final.
broadcast the event live in the UK & Ireland for the 6th year running. The final between van Barneveld & Jenkins achieved viewing figures of 82,000 - although that was surpassed by other matches during the week.
Wednesday 120,000 (SS1) & 65,000 (SS2)
Thursday 90,000 (SS1) & 115,000 (SS2)
Friday unavailable
Saturday 87,000 (SS2)
Sunday 82,000 (SS1)
at the beginning of June, top 12 players of the PDC Order of Merit became the automatic qualifiers for the sixth Desert Classic. They are Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld
, Colin Lloyd
, Peter Manley
, Terry Jenkins
, Dennis Priestley
, Adrian Lewis
, Wayne Mardle
, Roland Scholten
, Andy Hamilton
, James Wade
and defending champion John Part
.
Four North American's qualified for the event via qualification tournaments across the United States and Canada. They were
Darin Young
, John Kuczynski
, Gary Mawson
and
Gerry Convery
.
16 further places were to be decided at two qualification days on the eve of the tournament itself. These qualifying events were for lower ranked PDPA
members and US residents. Eight players each day joined the automatic qualifiers in the first round of the main event.
Monday's qualifiers were Wes Newton, Steve Maish, Kevin Painter, Steve Beaton, Colin Osborne, Mervyn King, Ray Carver and Dennis Smith. Tuesday's qualifiers were Alan Tabern, Mark Dudbridge, John Ferrell, Tony Eccles, Stuart Holden, Andy Smith, Steve Smith, Vincent van der Voort.
.
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
stage the prestigious darts tournament. The tournament was held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is a 44-story luxury hotel casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International. Five floors of the main hotel building are occupied by the five-star and AAA Five-Diamond Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas...
for the second successive year and was staged between July 2 and July 8, televised on Sky Sports from July 4 - there was no title sponsor for the event after PartyPoker.net's sponsorship lasted for just one year.
The opening day of the tournament saw a few surprise results - none more so than when Mark Dudbridge
Mark Dudbridge
Mark Daniel Dudbridge is an English professional darts player.-Darts career:He started playing in his very early teens, citing Dennis Priestley as one of his heroes...
stunned three-time Desert Classic champion Phil Taylor 6-5.
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
secured his third major PDC title of the year adding to his World Championship
PDC World Darts Championship
The PDC World Darts Championship is a world championship competition for the sport of darts, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation . It was introduced following a dispute in 1994 with the British Darts Organisation, which has run its own world championship since 1978...
and UK Open
PDC UK Open Darts
The Speedy Hire UK Open is an innovative PDC darts tournament where, following numerous regional qualifying heats throughout Britain, 128 players compete in a single elimination tournament to be crowned champion....
successes by beating Terry Jenkins
Terry Jenkins
Terry Jenkins is an English professional darts player who is nicknamed The Bull, having previously used the nickname "Tucker" for his matches...
in the final.
Prize money
The prize fund increases for the 2007 event to a total of £126,400.- Champion £20,000
- Runner-up £10,066
- Semi Finalists £7,000
- Quarter Finalists £5,000
- Second Round Losers £3,000
- First Round Losers £2,000
- Qualifying event prize fund £6,400.
Results
A random draw was held after each round meaning no seedings were applied.Television coverage
Sky SportsSky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
broadcast the event live in the UK & Ireland for the 6th year running. The final between van Barneveld & Jenkins achieved viewing figures of 82,000 - although that was surpassed by other matches during the week.
Wednesday 120,000 (SS1) & 65,000 (SS2)
Thursday 90,000 (SS1) & 115,000 (SS2)
Friday unavailable
Saturday 87,000 (SS2)
Sunday 82,000 (SS1)
Qualification
Following the 2007 UK Open2007 UK Open Darts
The 2007 Blue Square UK Open was the fifth year of the PDC darts tournament where, following numerous regional qualifying heats throughout Britain, players competed in a single elimination tournament to be crowned champion...
at the beginning of June, top 12 players of the PDC Order of Merit became the automatic qualifiers for the sixth Desert Classic. They are Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
, Colin Lloyd
Colin Lloyd
Colin Lloyd , nicknamed Jaws, is an English professional darts player on the Professional Darts Corporation circuit. He is a former world number one ranked player and he has won two major television titles in the PDC - the 2004 World Grand Prix and 2005 World Matchplay...
, Peter Manley
Peter Manley
Peter David Manley is an English professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation. He is nicknamed One Dart as he is known for hitting doubles with his first dart...
, Terry Jenkins
Terry Jenkins
Terry Jenkins is an English professional darts player who is nicknamed The Bull, having previously used the nickname "Tucker" for his matches...
, Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley is an English professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively...
, Adrian Lewis
Adrian Lewis
Adrian Lewis is an English professional darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation who is the reigning PDC World Darts Champion...
, Wayne Mardle
Wayne Mardle
Wayne Mardle is a darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation, and former player in the BDO. He now lives in Romford...
, Roland Scholten
Roland Scholten
Roland Scholten is a Dutch professional darts player who plays for the Professional Darts Corporation and formerly for the British Darts Organisation. He is nicknamed Tripod or The Flying Dutchman and uses Hey Ya by Outkast as his walk-on. He is currently ranked 45th in the PDC...
, Andy Hamilton
Andy Hamilton (darts player)
Andy Hamilton is a full time professional English darts player widely known for his "aggressive" style of play. He is nicknamed The Hammer and is currently ranked 12th on the PDC Order of Merit....
, James Wade
James Wade
James Wade is an English professional darts player, currently playing in the Professional Darts Corporation . He became the youngest player ever to win a major PDC title at the World Matchplay in July 2007...
and defending champion John Part
John Part
John Part is a Canadian professional darts player, who is nicknamed Darth Maple.Part is one of only five players in darts history to be a three time World Champion...
.
Four North American's qualified for the event via qualification tournaments across the United States and Canada. They were
Darin YoungDarin Young
Darin Young is an American darts player who plays for the Professional Darts Corporation. He uses the nickname Big Daddy....
,
John KuczynskiJohn Kuczynski
John Kuczynski is an American darts player. He doesn't play the game professionally - his main career is as a self-employed sanitation engineer...
,
Gary MawsonGary Mawson
Gary Mawson is a Canadian-born American darts player, who currently resides in North Royalton, Ohio, United States. He moved from Niagara Falls to Ohio to further increase his chances of success on the growing American darts circuit. He uses the nickname The Mauler for his matches...
and
Gerry ConveryGerry Convery
Gerry Convery is a Canadian darts player.Convery made his televised debut in the 2004 Las Vegas Desert Classic, beating Darren Webster in the first round before losing in the second round to Dennis Smith...
.
16 further places were to be decided at two qualification days on the eve of the tournament itself. These qualifying events were for lower ranked PDPA
Professional Dart Players Association
The Professional Dart Players Association is an organisation for professional dart players. Its intention is to look after the interests of professional players through an annually elected Board of six current professionals.-Formation:...
members and US residents. Eight players each day joined the automatic qualifiers in the first round of the main event.
Monday's qualifiers were Wes Newton, Steve Maish, Kevin Painter, Steve Beaton, Colin Osborne, Mervyn King, Ray Carver and Dennis Smith. Tuesday's qualifiers were Alan Tabern, Mark Dudbridge, John Ferrell, Tony Eccles, Stuart Holden, Andy Smith, Steve Smith, Vincent van der Voort.
Players Championship
On the eve of the Las Vegas Desert Classic a PDPA Players Championship event was held on Sunday July 1 and was won by Raymond van BarneveldRaymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
.